Worried about admissions!!!!

Hi everyone!

I’m a 15‑year‑old junior, and even though it’s still early in the year, I’m already thinking a lot about my chances at schools like U‑Mich, Caltech, Cornell, and a few others. I’m planning to major in physics or astrophysics, so I’m trying to build a strong academic and extracurricular foundation.

Academically, I have a 4.0 UW and about a 4.375 W (and it should increase once my college classes are fully factored in). I’ve taken Calc I and am taking calc 2 (I am also likely to finish calc III by this year, so I'm worried about what i should take next year), and I’m currently in Physics II with plans to take Physics C. I’m also involved in classes like Student Senate—where I’ve been an officer for three years and currently serve as a district officer—and concert choir, where I plan to audition for All‑State and other major competitions.

My extracurriculars so far:

International Astrophysics Competition — Finalist

Advanced through challenging math and physics rounds to reach the semi‑finalist division.

Chemistry Olympiad — Top 3 in New Mexico

Placed among the top competitors statewide and gained hands‑on lab experience.

NMAIA AI Car Competition — 1st Place

Worked with a NASA scientist to develop machine‑learning models for autonomous RC cars; produced two winning designs.

District Secretary

Elected after speaking to thousands; help coordinate statewide student leadership initiatives.

Student Senate — 1st Vice President (3 years)

Lead policy discussions and represent student interests in school decision‑making.

New Mexico Governor STEM Challenge — Lead Researcher

Oversaw research and experimentation for our school’s STEM team.

STEM Club — Researcher, Writer, Designer

Designed autonomous taxi concepts, led experiments, and contributed major writing for competitions.

Science Research — Biochar & Mycelium Studies

Conducted environmental research on post‑fire plant regrowth under mentorship from a former chemist.

Home Daycare Business

Helped build and manage my family’s daycare—childcare, scheduling, finances—supporting its growth into a large community business.

JV Tennis Captain

Led team culture and contributed to multiple wins.

Soccer Manager

Organized logistics and strategy to support team performance.

Youth Soccer Coach (Ages 4–6)

Taught fundamentals and teamwork to young players during summer camp.